In Knots
by storyteller274
Summary: Gabbie Reynolds had no friends and no real life until running into Scott McCall in the woods one night. After that, Gabbie is dragged into this new world where werewolves exists that being just the crack to the door of the supernatural. What will she do as she tries to learn and help her new friends face the evil that has become Beacon Hills? [StilesxOC]
1. storytime

_Beacon Hills Sheriff's Station_  
 _August 24th, 1999_

It was a slow, hot day in Beacon Hills; and the Sheriff's Station was lagging in hustle and bustle. Sadly, that was made up in the sweltering weather and the terrible air conditioner trying to help. Deputy Ryan Reynolds sat at his desk looking over some files from a break-in the week before, his head low as he tried to concentrate and get his work done. Just as he lifted his head to check something on his computer, two individuals standing in front of his desk caught his attention. One was a woman in her late 20's with long brown hair straightened to a tee. The other was a small girl, also with brown hair, who wore a dark jean jacket, purple dress and a big smile when he looked over to her.

"Well, isn't this a surprise?" Ryan said, getting up from his desk with a large grin and walking to kneel down in front of the little girl. "How ya doing, little lady?"

"Hi daddy." She said, her smile getting bigger as he grabbed her and blew a raspberry in her neck.

"I can see that our plan worked perfectly. How's work Bro-Bro?" The lady asked. Ryan picked up his daughter and stood up to face the woman, who was his older sister Claire.

"It's going, and do you have to call me that here? I have a rep to protect."

"Yeah, I'm sure you do."

Ryan turned back to his daughter and smiled at her, "I do, I'm the coolest, right Gabbie?"

"Yeah." Gabbie said. Ryan's smile got bigger and then he sent his sister a smug look. Claire rolled her eyes and also smiled, glad to see her younger brother happy.

"Well, Gabs, why don't you hang with daddy for a little bit? Auntie Claire has to find the bathroom." Claire asked. Gabbie smiled and nodded which got Claire to give her a kiss on the side of her head before walking away. Ryan moved around his desk and took a seat in his chair, Gabbie sitting contently in his lap. He started to look at his computer at what he was doing before when his daughter started to get talkative.

"Whatcha doing dad?" Gabbie asked, tilting her head back to try and see her dad.

"Work. What are you doing, Gabs?"

"Watching you work."

Ryan smiled and looked down at the little girl in his lap who sent him a smile so wide she closed her eyes. Before he could respond, the door opened from across the hall.

John Stilinski, fellow member of the station and filling in for the Sheriff who was out of town, came out of the office and looked around the bullpen. As he scanned the room, his eyes caught on something he wasn't expecting. His friend Reynolds was sitting at his desk with a small child on his lap, both looking his way; Reynolds with shock and the little girl with confusion.

"Reynolds, is there something you want to tell me?" Stilinski asked. Gabbie looked up to her dad only to see him staring wide eyed at the man in the doorway.

"U-Um," Ryan stuttered, looking down at his daughter before picking her up and standing to move around his desk, "Stikinski, th-this is my daughter, Gabriella."

Stilinski looked at the girl in his friend's arms and as he was about to open his mouth to introduce himself to her, a voice popped out of nowhere shocking both men.

"John, quit scaring the man."

Both men and the little girl turned to see a woman in the doorway from the front desk, her long brown hair flowing over her shoulders and her hand holding the one belonging to a small boy. He was dressed casually and looked up at his other with a smile before looking at his dad with an even bigger grin. The boy then let go of the lady's hand and sprinted over to Stilinski who picked up the boy and threw him in the air before catching him in his arms.

"Claudia, you didn't tell me that you were coming to visit." Stilinski said, looking to his wife with a smile.

"You forgot your lunch dear. And Mischief missed you as always." The woman said walking closer to the group. Claudia looked to her son before turning to Ryan and Gabbie. "And who is this pretty girl?" Claudia asked.

"This is Gabbie, my daughter." Ryan said, turning to Gabbie with a smile. Gabbie was looking at the boy in his father's arms who was staring back at her.

"Gabbie, its so very nice to meet you." Claudia put her hand out, getting Gabbie's attention from Stiles. The little girl took the grown woman's hand and shook it, making the men chuckle.

"Dad, whose that?" The boy asked, pointing his finger at Gabbie, almost poking her cheek from how close they were.

"That's Gabbie. Gabbie, this is my son Stiles." Stilinski introduced the kids to each other like they were business partners, but the kids just looked at each other like they have never seen another person of their age and the opposite sex before.

"You're name is funny." Gabbie said bluntly.

Ryan adjusted Gabbie in his arms to get her attention, "Gabbie that's very rude."

"Dad, I don't like Abby."

"Gabbie." Gabbie said, enunciating her name to the boy.

"Abby."

"Gabbie."

"A-Abby."

"Gabbie!"

"This could go on for a while." Claudia said, watching her son and the small girl go back and forth, neither side ready to admit defeat.


	2. into the woods

_12 years later . . . ._

In Beacon County, there is a small town called Beacon Hills. And in Beacon Hills, nothing ever happens.

Until one night.

"Gabbie, I'm leaving!" Ryan called up the stairway to his sister's house, fully dressed in his uniform. So many years later and now Ryan Reynolds was Division Chief of the Beacon Hills Sheriff's Station. The sound of footsteps coming down the stairs got his attention taken away from checking if he had everything before he headed out to work for the night.

Coming down the stairs was the now teenage Gabriella Reynolds. Her brown wavy hair was pulled into a ponytail on her head, her glasses on being that it was night time and she had taken out her contacts. Gabbie was dressed in her pajama pants littered with penguins and her dad's old police academy shirt he gave her a few years back.

"Tell me again why you have to work so late?" Gabbie asked when she got to the final step.

"Just some stuff, nothing to freak out about."

"You say not to freak out, and that just makes me want to worry and freak out."

Ryan rolled his eyes and puts his jacket on to protect him from the January weather. "Gabs, don't stress about it. Just a night shift; its not like I've never done one of those before." He looked over at his daughter and saw her roll her eyes, just like he had just did. _Like father like daughter_. Ryan then walked up to Gabbie and kissed her on the cheek before giving a pat on the head. "Love you little lady."

"Love you too old man." Gabbie says with a smile. Ryan smiles back, then walked out the door to his cruiser waiting in the drive.

Gabbie let out sigh when the front door shut, then headed upstairs back to her room and her cocoon of blankets waiting for her. Right before arriving at her room, she peaked in head into the room belonging to her Aunt Claire. The woman was sitting in bed with a book in her hand and a pile of them near her bedside table. The woman could read. Her brown hair was hanging loose over her shoulders and kept getting into her eyes, which she pushed away with her hand every time.

"Aunt Claire," Gabbie said, knocking on the bedroom door getting the woman's attention, "Dad left for work."

"Alright. Thanks for letting me know." Aunt Claire said, looking back down at her book to dog-ear the page and putting it aside. Gabbie nodded and left, retreating to her room down the hall.

Gabbie's room has changed since she was a little girl. Before it had been hot pink with flowers and cats everywhere; but that stage died pretty abruptly when puberty struck. Now it was a dark red color and some band posters here and there. _Marianas Trench, All Time Low, Panic! At the Disco_ and others dressed her walls. On her small bed was a tiny kitten curled up on her pillow where she had left him. When Gabbie closed her door, the kitten opened its tiny eyes and looked at his owner before going back to sleep.

"Hey Branson." Gabbie whispered to the kitten. He didn't move from his position. Aside from the purring of Branson, Gabbie's room was quiet and still. The teenage girl looked around before sighing and getting her sneakers on. _There's no way I can stay caged in here all night._

She grabbed her coat off her desk chair and started to zipper it up when she looked back at Branson. "Don't wait up bud." After pulling a knitted hat, Gabbie turned off her bedroom lights and headed to the window. Outside the window was a large tree that had been her escape hatch ever since she was 10. It wasn't unusual for Gabbie to go out on late night strolls when she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep.

Gabbie climbed out of her window to the nearest branch, and after closing the window enough to leave a way back in, Gabbie climbed down the tree to the soggy, leaf-covered ground below.

* * *

It had been a while since Gabbie had snuck out for one of her late night walks, since December had brought dusting a of snow and freezing weather. But on a night when she had to leave the house, she usually frequented the Beacon Hills preserve near her house. No one ever came out there since after the big Hale fire 10 years ago.

Gabbie was walking with her hands in her pockets; her breath coming out in puffs of steam which mixed with the slight drizzle coming down on her. Her feet crunched with the forest floor, cracking the silence around her. When all of be sudden, a loud scream caught her attention. Gabbie looked up the hill near her and watched as someone fell down the hill, bumping into rocks and tree stumps all the way down. They landed a few feet away with a thud.

"Um . . ." Gabbie started, slowing stepping to the mass of person near her, "Are you okay buddy?"

"Ugh, ow."

The person slowly crawled to the fallen tree, then used it to get back on their feet. Gabbie watched them, trying to figure out what to do. But when the moonlight caught on the person, Gabbie recognized the boy's moppy black hair. It was Scott McCall, a kid that goes to her school. He looked around, still not noticing Gabbie, before standing up and jumping over the tree.

"Scott?" Gabbie asked. Said boy turned to finally seeing the girl in front of him. But truthfully not recognizing her from anywhere.

"H-How do you know me?" He asked.

"We go to school together? At Beacon Hills High?" Gabbie tried. When he didn't respond, she rolled her eyes, "We've been in the same class since we were in kindergarten."

"I . . . I don't-" Scott cut himself off when the rumbling of a growl could be heard by the boy. Gabbie looked at him confused, before her eyes moved passed him and widened. Behind Scott was something made from nightmares wrapped in a fur coat. It was as big as a fully-grown bear, but the shaping of the legs weren't right for it to be that animal. Its glowing red eyes looked at the two teens with a ferocity only a wild animal could muster. And in no time at all, it took one leap for the animal to be in their comfort zone.

It jumped on Scott, taking him down and leaving Gabbie to watch. "Help me!" Scott screamed. Gabbie blinked, then as the creature started to pull Scott away, Gabbie jumped from her spot and grabbed Scott's hands. He gripped on her tightly and Gabbie started to pull. The one mistake she made was accidentally making eye contact with this _beast_. Its glowing blood red eyes stared into her soul for a second, then the beast dived down and bit Scott on his side.

Scott screamed, Gabbie pulled, and all of the sudden the beast wasn't holding onto the boy anymore. The lack of force on it's end made Gabbie and Scott tumble a few feet. It took no time at all for the two teens to get back on their feet and start running. Nothing was on Gabbie other than to get the hell out of the woods. They ran and ran until coming on the break on the trees, Scott still moving while Gabbie stopped. When Scott turned, bright headlights came into view. Gabbie looked at the car and then to Scott who was standing in the middle of the road. She lunged forward and pulled on his hood, getting him mostly out of the way when the car swerved.

It was silent after that. The car had kept moving down the road, and had left the two teens in the rain trying to catch their breaths and figure out what the hell just happened. Scott turned to Gabbie who was leaning on her knees panting, a thought crossing his mind.

"You saved my life."

Gabbie looked up from the ground to see Scott watching her. She looked back down to her mid covered shoes and ruined pajama bottoms before standing up to full height and looking back at Scott. "Don't worry about it."

"Don - Don't worry about it?"

"Truthfully, I want to forget that this night ever happened. So please, don't worry about it." Gabbie said, looking around to figure out where she was. Once realizing that she was only a mile or two from her house, she sighed and started walking.

"Wait!" Scott said, getting Gabbie to stop. "So, we're just going to leave like this?"

Without turning around, Gabbie said, "See you at school, Scott." And continued walking down the road. As she kept walking, her mind finally seemed to have caught up with her body and all of what had just happened seeped into the forefront of her mind. A howl pierced through the night and into Gabbie's skin like a knife.

 _What the hell just happened?_

* * *

The next morning, Gabbie woke up with barely any sleep under her belt and nightmares playing on repeat anytime she closed her eyes. When she finally got back home last night, she had to climb up the tree to get back into her room. The only lucky thing about this whole adventure was that no one knew that she was gone. So Gabbie changed into a pair of dry and clean pajamas, and tried to get some sleep. Before anyone could get up, Gabbie threw a basket of clothes in the washer, including the ruined ones from the night before, and then took a quick shower before having to get dressed and ready for school.

Clothing and trends have never really been a big thing for Gabbie, so on her first day of sophomore year, she dressed in a pair of denim skinny jeans, a white button up blouse with birds her aunt got for her last birthday, and a pair or black rose printed converse. And this was only because it was "a special day". After the first day its most likely gonna go back to her "nerd outfits", at least that's what Lydia Martin (one of the most popular girls at school) called it every once in a while last year.

Gabbie had just enough time to grab a small bag of grapes from the fridge before picking up her backpack and running out to meet the bus. Once she avoided eye contact with the entire bus population, the bus stopped at the school to unload them all to boring classes and piles of homework.

The day went by slowly, more slowly than a normal day because Gabbie just wanted the day to be done. Classes passed by with a blur of syllabuses and introductions. Apparently there is a new girl named Allison in her grade so there's that. By the time lunch came around, Gabbie was ready for a long nap. She sat at her usual table by the vending machines, her tray of school lunch not looking very appetizing. Lunch was never Gabbie's favorite time of day. She loved when she got to eat food sure, but sitting by herself everyday was not. On the other side of the cafeteria, Scott and his friend Stiles had just gotten out of the lunch line and were moving to an open table when Scott looked over to see Gabbie all be herself. Stiles, being the perceptive person he is, noticed Scott not moving and followed his eyes to the girl in the corner.

"What's up?" Stiles asked his best friend.

"That's the girl from the woods last night. The one I was telling you about." Scott said under his breath, still not looking away from Gabbie. Stiles eyes widened and nudged Scott.

"Her?" Stiles asked, which Scott nodded. "That's Gabbie Reynolds, our dad's work together."

"Really?" Scott asked.

"Yeah." Before anything else could happen, Scott was walking towards her table. Stiles moved his feet to catch up, suddenly confused with the change of direction. "A-Ah dude, what are you doing?"

"Getting some answers."

The placement of trays on the table got Gabbie to look up from her tray to the two taking a seat across from her. Scott looked at her like he was ready to interrogate, while his buddy just looked confused. "Um . . ."

"Did you here it?"

Gabbie squinted her eyes at the mopey haired kid, trying to figure out what he was going on about, "Huh?"

"Last night in the woods, did you hear the howling?" Scott asked, rephrasing his question.

"I thought I told you I wanted to forget last night?"

"The dark circles under your eyes say that you failed doing that." Stiles spoke up. Gabbie turned her head to look at him, sending a small glare his way.

"Stiles."

"Gabbie."

"Can't you both just go away? We all know that this looks unnatural."

"What does?" Stiles asked, looking around them to see what was so unnatural.

"Me talking with people." Gabbie explained. She turned back to Scott and bluntly said, "Yes, I heard the howling when I was walking away. Happy now?"

"I told you man." Scott said, turning to Stiles and hitting him in the arm.

"There's no way you two could have heard howling. There is no wolf population in California."

Gabbie sighed and picked up her tray as she got to her feet, "Okay. I'm done here. Have fun with . . . whatever it is you two do."

"Wait!" Scott asked. This time though, Gabbie didn't stop to see what he wanted. She left both boys confused about their current situation and her.


	3. asking the hard questions

The next few days went by with no unneeded interruptions. Gabbie's dad went to work a bit more than usual, but that was mainly because of the dead body found in the woods. Well, _half_ of a dead body. Gabbie's Aunt Claire went to work at the book store she owned in town, **The Storyteller**. Besides the nightmares popping into Gabbie's mind every time she went to sleep, everything was starting to get back to normal.

Until one day after school, when Gabbie was watching TV and Aunt Claire was making dinner. The house phone that was barely used started to ring, making both women jump.

"I got it." Aunt Claire called, picking up the extension in the kitchen. Gabbie started to zone back into what she was watching when her Aunt's voice brought her back. "Gabbie! It's for you."

"What?" Gabbie asked, getting up from the couch and walking over to the kitchen. Aunt Claire had her casual clothes on since being home, and the phone in her hand.

"It's a boy." Aunt Claire said with a smile, covering the end of the phone with her other hand. "Says he needs to talk to you."

Gabbie looked at the phone with the aught most confusion before grabbing it from her aunt. Aunt Claire's smile got wider seeing her niece interacting with someone other than her cat. She then gave Gabbie a pat on the back and whispered in her ear, "Ill leave you to it." Then left the room.

Gabbie slowly put the phone to her ear and asked, "Hello?"

"Gabbie? It's Stiles."

The amount of attitude that was put into Gabbie's eye roll could have won her an Oscar at that moment. She sighed and put her hand to her head, "Ugh, Stiles. How did you even get this number?"

"I looked in the phone book." He said simply. Before she could hang up, he started talking again, "Look, I know that you don't want to talk about what happened to you in the woods the other night. But some stuff is happening to Scott and I need your help."

"What kind of stuff?" Gabbie asked.

"Weird, supernatural-like stuff."

"I'm hanging up now."

"Wait! Wait! Please, you gotta help me out here." Stiles begged.

"And why, pray tell, do I have to help you?" Gabbie asked. The phone went silent, Gabbie waiting for Stiles to respond. "Stiles?"

"Because I know that you're a good person besides all the attitude you throw out there and I know you don't want to see anyone get hurt. And if I'm right, Scott could hurt people."

Gabbie contemplated Stiles's words, remembering that Scott had been but that night in the forest. And Stiles was right, under all the sarcasm and attitude, she was a caring person. Gabbie sighs, making Stiles sit up a bit straighter in his room.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Dress up nice, we're heading to a party tonight."

* * *

Of all the things Gabbie had thought she would do tonight, going to an actual high school party was not one of them. Stiles had told her to dress nice, but it didn't help her in her decision making. After a half hour of trying not to back out at the last minute, Gabbie picked a pair of black skinny jeans with a red plaid shear long-sleeved shirt. She put on a silver chain around her neck and silver rings on her fingers before going to make up and making her eyes look smokey and dangerous. It might not be nice but it's not in her comfort zone when going out in public, and that's what parties are all about.

Just as she was pulling on her black converse, the doorbell rang. She ignored it, getting her laces all tied. But she did not expect to here her father's voice.

"Gabbie, Stiles is here for you!" He yelled up to her room. Gabbie froze, _what the hell is he doing here?_ Gabbie then grabbed her keys from her dresser and rushed down the stairs.

Downstairs, Stiles stood in the breezeway of the Reynolds home with Gabbie's dad looking confused as ever. Ryan was still in his uniform, just getting home 5 minutes before Stiles showed up, and had his arms crossed as he tried to figure out what a boy was doing in his house.

"So," Ryan started, getting Stiles to look up from his shoes, "Stiles, what exactly are you doing here?"

"Oh u-um, me and Gabbie are heading to a party tonight."

"A party? Whose party?"

"It's just a party th-that happens every year after the first scrimmage." Stiles said, reaching up and itching the back of his neck as he got a surge of nerves go through him. It was as if Stiles was picking Gabbie up for a date, and he didn't know how that felt to him.

Before Ryan could interrogate the poor boy anymore, someone coming down the stairs caught both of their attentions. Gabbie rushed down the stairs in her punk-esc outfit, totally catching Stiles of guard.

"Hey kid." Ryan walked over to his daughter and kissing her on the cheek.

"Hey dad."

"So apparently you're going to a party?"

"Yeah. Sorry for not telling you earlier. It was kinda last minute." Gabbie explained, giving Stiles a look over her father's shoulder.

"Alright, just remember ground rules when you go out." Ryan said.

"No drinking, doing drugs, or staying out past 1. I got it dad."

"That goes for you too Stiles." Ryan turns back to Stiles near the door who is wide eyed.

"Got it! Got it, I totally got it." Stiles rambles out as Gabbie gives her dad a look and walks past him.

"Bye dad." Gabbie waves as Stiles opens the door for her.

"Be safe. Don't do anything I would do."

"Bye Mr. Reynolds." Stiles said just as the door is shut behind them. Leaving the two kids on the porch, Gabbie finally gets a good look at Stiles. The boy had taken the time to tidy himself up with a light purple button up and black tie matched with jean and sneakers. His buzz cut brown hair looked short as ever, and for some odd reason, Stiles's cheeks were flushed. "Was it just me or did that feel like I was being interrogated before a date?"

"A date?" Gabbie asked. She had a small smirk on her face, and attitude ready to pour out of her.

Stiles saw Gabbie's reaction and turned away, mumbling "I guess it was just me."

"Oh, don't be like that Stiles. You should be happy, you don't want to date me. I'm a social outcast with one friend which is my cat. You don't want any of what I am." Gabbie explained, looking over to him as the two walked towards Stiles's blue jeep. The car itself has seen better years back when Gabbie remembered when Stiles's mom would drive to the station in it.

"Well, if I'm right about Scott, my only friend will be a dog so we'll be on the same level of social outcast."

Stiles smiled at Gabbie before opening the passenger's side door for her. Gabbie looked at Stiles with a raised eyebrow before sighing and getting in the car.

* * *

The party was in full swing by the time Stiles drove up, the music pulsating through the air making Gabbie's heart beat faster. Stile's parked the car and the two walked though the open door to be met with kids around every corner; either drinking from red solo cups or making out quite publically.

"Wow, this is what I have been missing? How did I live before?" Gabbie asked sarcastically. Stiles rolled his eyes and walked over to grab two cups from a table in the room before walking back to Gabbie's side. "So where's Scott?"

Stiles hands Gabbie one of the cups before digging into his pocket and pulling out his phone, "He texted me earlier saying he picked up Allison so they should be here."

"And we just do what? I'm still looking for this supernatural proof."

"I'm telling you, something is up with Scott and since he isn't thinking with his head right now, we have to do it." Stiles explained. Gabbie rolled her eyes and took a sip from her cup as she scanned the party.

"I still can't believe you got me to come here with you." Gabbie said, turning to Stiles who was also drinking from his cup. The boy looked sideways at her before raising an eyebrow.

"Am I really that horrible? Do you hate me that much?"

"No," Gabbie said, shaking her head with a chuckle, "Stiles, I never hated you. I just meant that I can't believe you convinced to actually leave the house and come to something like this. You've known me long enough to know I've never been one for social interaction on this scale."

"To be totally honest, we've 'known' each other for a long time but I don't really know anything about you." Stiles said, shocking Gabbie. She just looked at him with a surprised look on her face.

"A-And?" Gabbie asked.

"And, I wouldn't mind getting to know you."

Before Gabbie could respond, someone bumped into Gabbie, causing her to lurch forward. She turned to yell at whoever had done it, but seeing the mopey brown hair gave it away.

"Scott?" Stiles asked, turning to his best friend. Scoot looked as if he was about to pass out or be sick, maybe even both. Stiles tried to help, but Scott hobbled out of the room and to the front door that was wide open.

"That was weird." Gabbie mumbled. Stiles downed the rest of his drink before grabbing Gabbie's hand and rushing out the door. By the time the two got outside, Scott's car was gone.


End file.
